Bettyjo Update

Bettyjo is on some kind of antibiotic, and the infection seems to be under control. She will be seeing Dr. Willet next Friday, to discuss options.

I think the whole family is just........sort of numb right now. Everything we had been planning for the next year or so hinged on her getting better. And, now that is not so certain. I know, I know that nothing is for certain, even our next breaths, but when you are told by your Dr. that 95% of patients that had the first flap procedure (October 2007) have success, and of the remaining 5% , 90% of those having the radical reconstruction have success that means that only 1 in 200 are at the point Bettyjo is at.

Bettyjo and I are going shopping tonight for some material for her to make a curtain for the kitchen, she and Brenda are going to a movie tomorrow while Emily and I attend the Crew (MLS Soccer) home opener with tickets I won in a drawing at work.

Bettyjo Update

We received the very worst news possible last night. Bettyjo's options are 1) a tube can be inserted past the hole so that saliva will not go down it, and "hopefully" it will heal. 2) they can take her stomach out attach it to her arm and attach it to he side and slowing stretch her stomach to make a new complete esophagus. 3) she can give up. They will put in a permanent feeding tube, and she will never eat or swallow again.

I am not going to ask for prayer at this time, because it seems that God will do what God will do, and I guess we will just have to accept it. Maybe prayer is really accidental anyway.

Bettyjo Update

Thanks to all of you reading the blog. And, to those of you leaving comments. I read them to Bettyjo and they are encouraging.

At the moment Bettyjo is in a lot of pain, from this last surgery, from the infection, from the previous surgeries, from the rod and screws in her neck and from the rheumatoid arthritis. She had an MRI last night but no one has been in to brief us on the results. I say no one, because both Dr. Willet and Dr. Baird (infectious disease) will use it to see multiple things. She is still getting IV antibiotics, and well...........we are just waiting. Not much fun, and getting very old.

Bettyjo Update

Bettyjo came out of surgery well. Dr. Willet said that she had a large puss sack behind her esophagus and a small amount on her voice box. He said that he really was not able to see anything for all the puss and blood that was coming out. In fact when the Anaesthesiologist pulled the breathing tube out it also had puss on it. Dr. Willet drained all the puss, flushed it out and then put in a Primrose drain. He will consult Dr. Alam either today or Monday, and will order another CT scan for Tuesday.

Bettyjo Update

Bettyjo's neck started to swell yesterday, and this morning it was very swollen. We took her to Riverside for a CT scan, and it revealed an abscess behind the esophagus most likely caused by the stitches dissolving too quickly. This has allowed some material to drain into the neck, causing the infection.

Dr. Willet will do surgery to drain the abscess, and will install a drain. She will be in the hospital for a few days.

Please pray for success of the surgery, and that the flap and the repaired esophagus will not suffer permanent damage from the infection.

Bettyjo Update

Bettyjo went to her ENT in Columbus today. He removed the stitches, and was pleased with what Dr. Alam had done at the Cleveland Clinic. She will have a swallow test some time with in the next week or so. The troubling news was that they may have to stretch her esophagus to make it fully functional, in an out patient procedure.

Please pray that the swallow test goes well, and that the esophageal stretch will be successful, if it needs to be done at all.

Bettyjo Update

We made it home yesterday. The trip was very uneventful. The roads were in really good shape, even in Cleveland where there was about 8" to 10" of snow on the ground.

But.......the best news of all came today. Bettyjo was able to swallow a few sips of water! Yeah!!!

Bettyjo also got a call from Dr. Willet's office, to say the Dr. Alam had contacted them and they have discussed follow up care. Bettyjo will see Dr. Willet next week.

Bettyjo Update

Bettyjo is being discharged this morning from the Cleveland Clinic. We did not leave yesterday as Dr. Alam wanted to see her before she left, and he was in surgery most of the morning. He saw her at about 3:30pm yesterday and was very pleased with her progress. The next hurdle will be the ride home, which I hope will be uneventful. It looks as if we will have decent driving day weather wise. Dr. Alam is allowing Bettyjo to follow up with Dr. Willet our original ENT in Columbus, which is a blessing as we will not have the 3 hr trip to the Cleveland Clinic for stitch removal and wound monitoring. In addition we have full faith and confidence in Dr. Willet.

Thank you all for your prayers over the past week. They were felt, appreciated, and answered.

Bettyjo Update

All of the drains are now out, she is off the pain pump, and they have removed the bandage on her arm where the tissue for the new esophagus was taken. According to the Doctor everything looks good, and she should be able to go home tomorrow (Wednesday). If the Cleveland Clinic can get her discharged by 1:00pm we will be on our way home. If it is 1:00pm or later, we will spend the night in the condo together, and will come home Thursday.

Thank you all for your prayers. It seems that they have been answered!

Bettyjo Update

Bettyjo has only one drain line left in, that did not produce anything today, and she is transitioning from the pain pump to less pain meds through her feeding tube. She has taken several walks around ICU, and seems to be coming along very well. Tuesday, they will unwrap her arm to take a look at the skin graph they put on the place they took her new esophagus from. One of the interns was in tonight, and he felt that if the arm looked good, and they can remove the remaining drain line, she may get to come home on Wednesday.

Please continue to pray for healing, and safe travel home. One other thing, my grandfather will be having surgery on March 12, please pray for success in the surgery and a quick healing.

Bettyjo Update

Bettyjo got up out of bed for the first time since her surgery. She has had some tubes removed, and at least two more are scheduled to come out tomorrow. They gave her some ice chips to attempt to swallow, but they would not go down, which really is ok for her first try. There may be some swelling yet preventing it. They have regulated her pain meds, gave her a bath and washed her hair, so when I left the hospital she was feeling quite well. I am heading back to spend some time with her this evening, and will head back in the morning.

Please continue to pray for healing for Bettyjo, and for travel as my parents and the girls have just left to head back to London.

Bettyjo Update

Bettyjo is being moved from Recovery to ICU this afternoon, as they do not have a bed for her in the step down ICU. She needs to be there so that a nurse can check her esophageal flap every hour and make sure it has blood flow. This is usually done for 48 hours after surgery, as this time has passed I am not sure just why they are not moving her to a regular room. The nurse I spoke with said that she may go to a regular room tomorrow.

Please continue to pray for healing.